Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds ( 🔟 Years Anniversary)

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On Thursday (September 8), Justin Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveSounds turns ten. His second solo album since leaving *NSYNC, the album cemented his departure from the world of boy bands, and also marked a new direction for his solo career. Here, we take a look back at the album and all the sexy Timberlake helped bring back with its release. Coming four years after Justin Timberlake released his first solo albumJustified, the followup was a far more experimental and equally risqué album, FutureSex/LoveSounds. The title alone, combining old words into a fresh formation, felt as though Timberlake created some new language, one which challenged the cookie cutter boxes that often represent pop music. With producer/collaborator Timbaland (whose name is all over the album’s credits, from playing instruments to lending vocals), Timberlake stretched the identity he’d long presented the world with, challenging what listeners thought about him. FutureSex/LoveSounds showed Timberlake all grown up and unafraid to own it. 1- SEXYBACK

"SexyBack" became Timberlake's first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100, staying seven weeks at the top spot. It also topped several of Billboard magazine's other charts, including the Billboard Pop 100, Hot Dance Airplay, and Hot Digital Songs charts, and entered the top ten on most singles charts. Internationally, it became Timberlake's first single to reach number one in the United Kingdom. In Australia, the track was Timberlake's second number-one single, spending two consecutive weeks at the top. "SexyBack" was certified three-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and three-times platinum by Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA). "SexyBack" is one of the best selling singles of all time.

The music video was filmed in June 2006; Timberlake decided to work with director Michael Haussman

2- MY LOVE/ LET ME TALK TO YOU

Timberlake revealed that the song's creating process took time to image and execute.He also stated that "My Love" was less about marriage and a more humble approach to love. The song features synthesizer chords with a slow beat and includes a beatboxing,percussion, and staccato sounds. Timberlake described the track as "a rock-techno ballad"."My Love" was well received by music critics, although some criticized Timberlake for some of the lyrics and sounds.

The track entered the top ten on most charts, topping several of Billboard magazine's component charts, including the Billboard Hot 100, Pop 100, Hot Dance Airplay, and Hot Digital Songs charts. "My Love" also became Timberlake's second consecutive number one single on the Billboard Hot 100. Internationally, the single peaked in the number two position, becoming Timberlake's fourth single to reach number two.

3- WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND

"What Goes Around ..." is about the love life of a friend of Timberlake, Trace Ayala, and his relationship with Elisha Cuthbert. It also is rumored that the song talks about the relationship the two had in the TV series 24.

The song was retitled "What Goes Around... Comes Around" for its December 19, 2006, release as the third single fromFutureSex/LoveSounds. It became Timberlake's third consecutive number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Internationally the song was also successful, reaching the top ten in countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, and Australia. The song was later certified two-times platinum in Australia, gold in the United States and gold in New Zealand. The song won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 50th Grammy Awards, where it also received a nomination for Record of the Year.

4- LOVESTONED(also known as "LoveStoned/I Think She Knows") is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlakefor his second studio album, FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006). It was written and produced by Timberlake, Tim "Timbaland" Mosley and Nate "Danja" Hills. In contrast to the album's theme about sexual innuendos with themes of love, "LoveStoned" contains sexually suggestive lyrics. Musically "LoveStoned" is an upbeat dance song, contrasting with the interlude of "I Think She Knows" which has a more slow, quiet, guitar-driven sound. The song won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording at the 2008 ceremony.

Recording The Album

In 2005, Timberlake felt inspired to record songs again. Motivated by the "sad state" of pop radio, he decided he needed to experiment with music. Reportedly, it was not until Timberlake turned to producer Timbaland "that he figured out the direction he wanted the record to take". In November 2005, Timberlake visited Timbaland's brand-new Thomas Crown Studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States. Timbaland had previously collaborated with Timberlake, producing four tracks for Justified including "Cry Me a River".

Once in the studio, however, the team had no clear direction for the album as there were no concepts being discussed.Aside from having "Cry Me a River" to draw from, they had no "game plan" and no working title for the new album.Timberlake thought that if he could make a record that would live up to Justified, he "would have".So he asked Timbaland if he could reproduce the likes of "Cry Me a River" by four or six times.

While in the studio, Timbaland played on the stereo plenty of songs by American singer and musician Prince for them to listen to. Early in their sessions, they reportedly were "fooling around" and "freestyling". One night, Danja was playing a guitar riff and caught the attention of Timberlake, who then started humming to the melody and later sung the lyrics. Timbaland, who was at their side, added drums onto the progressing sound. After an hour, with no lyrics written on paper, Timberlake recorded in the vocal booth a song that would become "What Goes Around... Comes Around". Timberlake, having been teased by Timbaland, said to the latter: "Let's do something we would never do. Let's go far left and just see what happens."